


I swapped my innocence for pride. Crush the end within my stride

by blueseawitch



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Omelas, Philosophy, Refrencing Works By: Ursula Le Guin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-08-17 04:39:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8130755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueseawitch/pseuds/blueseawitch
Summary: Chara remembers a story. They realize its not about them anymore.





	

**Author's Note:**

> “The trouble is that we have a bad habit, encouraged by pedants and sophisticates, of considering happiness as something rather stupid. Only pain is intellectual, only evil interesting.”  
> -

“It’s funny,” Chara says, for the sixth time that day even if Asriel knows it isn’t funny, it’s not, it could never be. How could the taste of buttercups every inspire joy? How could he smile looking at his friend's pale face? “You know why? This reminds me of a story.”

His ears perk up a little from his place on the foot of their bed; Chara, Chara loves telling stories. If they are strong enough to tell one, perhaps they are feeling stronger. Perhaps, perhaps….. 

No, it is his job to make sure Chara doesn’t get better. They made a plan, he accepted this deal. Best friends, partners, together forever. It says right so on the locket they share. Asriel shifts and runs a paw against Chara’s hand, mindful of the bandages covering weeping blisters. His paw gets dirty anyway. “What story, Chara?” He asks, trying to inject enthusiasm into his tone, something that used to be easy. Really, being unenthusiastic around Chara used to be the hard part. 

If Chara notices, they don’t mention it, instead their fingers twitch around his paw and they sit a little taller, eyes brighter than they had been for weeks.. A grin tugs at their features, lips curling. It's not one of their nicer smiles. It seems like more of a grimace. 

“Back when I was, you know, living on the surface, I found this book in our library. Just a tiny little bunch of short stories tucked away in a corner. But there was one I remember. It was called “The People Who Walked Away From Omelas.”” 

Asriel looks up in confusion, brows knitting as he drums a paw against the bed, “Why is that funny Chara?” 

“Shush, I’m not done yet.” They lean down a little at him, still grinning. He keeps himself from shrinking back. Asriel would never be afraid of Chara, he would never. “The story took place in the city of Omelas. It was a place of utter perfect happiness. The people were kind, the culture rich, everyone lived in wealth and splendor. Festivals were held and children ran through the streets without fear. Nobody was ever hungry. Nobody was ever lonely! There was never any suffering in Omelas.” They giggle, a rough hitch in their voice. 

“And then the author asks, can you believe in such a place? Can you believe that one people can be so happy without a drawback? Without being stupid or doped or there being a rotten core to the sugar soft eggshell?” Their fingernails dig into his paws and he does wince a little at the look in their eyes. He doesn’t like where this story is going, not with Chara’s face splitting itself into a crushing imitation of a smile. He’s not sure he wants to hear the ending. 

“So,” Their nails have a fine coating of blood and dust, that's how hard they dig into Asriel’s palms, “The author proposes a compromise. If you cannot accept perfect happiness, there must be a dark halo in your perfect city. And so there is. For in a dark place of Omelas, there is a child.” They tilt their head and snicker. “A child who is not happy, a child who has lived in a dark place in fear its entire life. This child, this one child, must be responsible for all the happiness of Omelas, even if it will never understand why. Everyone in the city must know of this child, must know of its suffering and accept it as a price of the fullness of life and relations and goodness they have. And they do!! And it’s, it’s just! It’s!!” 

They’re laughing again, body shaking with breathless heaving that might be sobbing but that's stupid because Chara never cries because Chara is strong and Asriel doesn’t know what to do. Should he hug them? Grab their hands before they hurt themselves? Get Mom and Dad (but no Mom and Dad will wanna know why they wanna ask questions and this is his secret, Chara asked him to keep it.) 

“C-chara?” Is all he can fumble out instead, voice pathetic and shaky as he scoots closer to them. He tries to lay a paw on their shoulder but then quickly thinks better of it, fumbling. “C-chara that’s! Hey that’s not true. You….you aren’t like that kid at all! Everyone here loves you! N-nobody would lock you away!!” Asriel twists his ears with his paws. Why was Chara acting like this? He didn’t understand! 

“eh-hah...haha…” He starts, fur puffing up at the sudden sound of their voice. Chara was always good at surprising him. Their bandaged hand finds his again, knuckles white around his paws. “You’re right, that's not how the story ends. The story isn’t about that child. Because, heh there are people who walk away from this perfect paradise because of that knowledge. They leave alone...and throw themselves into the unknown world of suffering rather than, eh-heh, live in Omelas.”

“I’d do it.” He said with a certainness that surprises even him. Because that's the right answer to the story right! Asriel would never live like that just because somebody else is suffering. “I’d walk out of Omelas for you Chara! Promise!” He looks in their eyes and nods his head, it's a promise. And Mom taught him that you never break a promise. 

“I know,” Chara said, smile softer, gentler. Chara’s good smile. Asriel finds himself smiling back. “I know Azzy that’s why you’re my best friend but...”

“That’s why I’ve got to walk away too.”

 

And they look Asriel in the eyes and he knows. Chara is not the child of Omelas, Chara would never allow themselves to be the child of Omelas, (even if they may have felt like them once). The thought almost makes him want to chuckle, no matter how horrible, and golly Chara’s rubbing off on him because if Chara wanted to suffer, to walk away, it would be by their choice. Of course Chara would never be the passive suffering child for another people's paradise. 

But Asriel can think of a whole race that might have fit the ticket.

**Author's Note:**

> ((psstt, i know that made no sense so....just in case...
> 
>  
> 
> Chara is not the child of Omelas. The monsters are.))
> 
> The story of Omelas can be read here: http://engl210-deykute.wikispaces.umb.edu/file/view/omelas.pdf 
> 
> Warnings for child abuse but the plot is kind of spoiled already if you read this far!


End file.
